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MATLAB VS Maxima

Compare MATLAB VS Maxima and see what are their differences

MATLAB logo MATLAB

A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming

Maxima logo Maxima

Maxima is a fairly complete computer algebra system written in Lisp with an emphasis on symbolic computation.
  • MATLAB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-30

We recommend LibHunt MATLAB for discovery and comparisons of trending MATLAB projects.

  • Maxima Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-15

MATLAB features and specs

  • Versatility
    MATLAB is versatile and can be used across a wide range of applications, including engineering, data analysis, robotics, and image processing.
  • Built-in Functions
    MATLAB comes with a vast library of built-in functions and toolboxes that simplify complex mathematical computations and data visualization tasks.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software offers an intuitive and user-friendly graphical interface that makes it accessible even for those who are not experts in programming.
  • Excellent Visualization
    MATLAB provides high-quality, customizable plots and graphs that facilitate the clear and effective presentation of data.
  • Strong Community and Support
    Users can benefit from extensive documentation, community forums, and customer support from MathWorks, which aids in troubleshooting and learning.
  • Integration Capabilities
    MATLAB integrates well with other programming languages like C, C++, and Java, and supports interfaces to SQL databases.

Possible disadvantages of MATLAB

  • Cost
    MATLAB is expensive to license, making it less accessible for small businesses, individual professionals, and students without institutional access.
  • Memory Usage
    MATLAB can be very memory-intensive, which could be a limitation when dealing with large datasets or running on devices with limited computational resources.
  • Speed
    Although MATLAB is efficient for rapid prototyping, it is generally slower in execution speed compared to compiled languages like C or Fortran, particularly for heavy computations.
  • Proprietary Nature
    Being a proprietary software, MATLAB does not offer the same level of transparency and flexibility that open-source alternatives provide.
  • Learning Curve
    For some new users, especially those who have no prior experience with numerical computing environments, it might have a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Cross-Platform Compatibility
    While MATLAB supports multiple operating systems, not all features and toolboxes are available on each platform, potentially limiting its utility in diverse environments.

Maxima features and specs

  • Open-source
    Maxima is freely available and open-source, allowing users to access, modify, and distribute the software without any cost.
  • Symbolic Computation
    Maxima specializes in symbolic computation, providing robust tools for algebraic manipulations, differentiation, integration, and equation solving.
  • Customizability
    As an open-source software, Maxima is highly customizable, and users can modify the source code or write their own functions to extend its capabilities.
  • Documentation
    Maxima comes with extensive documentation, including a comprehensive manual and numerous tutorials, which can aid both beginners and advanced users.
  • Integration with Other Tools
    Maxima can be integrated with other software tools and languages such as Python (via SymPy), providing flexibility and additional functionality for complex computations.

Possible disadvantages of Maxima

  • User Interface
    The default user interface of Maxima is less polished compared to commercial alternatives, which may affect the user experience, especially for beginners.
  • Performance
    While suitable for many tasks, Maxima may not perform as efficiently as some specialized commercial software for very large or complex computations.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its depth and the nature of symbolic computation, there can be a steep learning curve for new users who are not already familiar with similar tools or mathematical concepts.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source project, support primarily comes from the user community, which may not always be as responsive or comprehensive as professional, paid support services.
  • Updates and Maintenance
    Maxima updates and maintenance depend on community contributions, which can sometimes lead to less frequent updates or delayed fixes for bugs compared to commercial software.

Analysis of MATLAB

Overall verdict

  • Yes, MATLAB is considered a good tool by many professionals and academics, especially in fields that require numerical computation and data analysis.

Why this product is good

  • MATLAB offers a vast collection of built-in functions and toolboxes for various applications like signal processing, image processing, machine learning, and more.
  • The environment is user-friendly and has excellent documentation, making it easier for beginners to learn.
  • It provides robust support for matrix operations, which is beneficial for linear algebra tasks and scientific computations.
  • MATLAB integrates well with languages like C/C++, Python, and Java, allowing for flexible development options.

Recommended for

  • Engineers and scientists performing complex mathematical calculations and simulations.
  • Students and educators in academic settings who require a reliable tool for teaching and learning mathematical concepts.
  • Researchers and data analysts looking to rapidly prototype algorithms and visualize data.
  • Professionals dealing with industries like aerospace, automotive, communications, and finance where rigorous data analysis is required.

MATLAB videos

Matlab Review Part 1

More videos:

  • Review - The Complete MATLAB Course: Beginner to Advanced!
  • Tutorial - Complete MATLAB Tutorial for Beginners

Maxima videos

2019 Nissan Maxima SR โ€“ The 4-Door Sports Car?

More videos:

  • Review - 2019 Nissan Maxima SR Review // A $40,000 Performance Sedan
  • Review - 2019 Nissan Maxima | CarGurus Test Drive Review
  • Demo - Maxima video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MATLAB and Maxima)
Technical Computing
82 82%
18% 18
Numerical Computation
82 82%
18% 18
Data Visualization
100 100%
0% 0
Math Solver
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MATLAB and Maxima

MATLAB Reviews

25 Best Statistical Analysis Software
MATLAB is an exceptional choice for individuals seeking to perform advanced statistical analysis and data visualization. Its high-level programming environment and comprehensive range of tools enable users to efficiently process, analyze, and visualize their data.
7 Best MATLAB alternatives for Linux
MATLAB is a programming language and numeric computing environment. It is used for solving mathematical problems and displaying the result graphically. MATLAB is a paid tool, they provide a free trial for one month.
15 data science tools to consider using in 2021
Developed and sold by software vendor MathWorks since 1984, Matlab is a high-level programming language and analytics environment for numerical computing, mathematical modeling and data visualization. It's primarily used by conventional engineers and scientists to analyze data, design algorithms and develop embedded systems for wireless communications, industrial control,...
The 16 Best Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms for 2021
Description: MathWorks MATLAB combines a desktop environment tuned for iterative analysis and design processes with a programming language that expresses matrix and array mathematics directly. It includes the Live Editor for creating scripts that combine code, output, and formatted text in an executable notebook. MATLAB toolboxes are professionally developed, tested, and...
Matlab Alternatives
Matrix Laboratory also known as MATLAB is a high-level programming language. It provides an interactive environment to perform computations in various fields such as mathematics, sciences and engineering streams. The results can be visualized and generated as reports for further analysis. Matlab is the pioneer in combining these things. A team of professionals develop the...
Source: www.educba.com

Maxima Reviews

  1. Stable (slow but steady growth)

    I've been using Maxima since my undergraduate (over 10 years), now with Ubuntu20.04 lts, I become a newbie of SageMath. For a small project (both symbolical and numerical), in particular, student lab activities, Maxima has been a powerful tool for analyzing and visualizing data. (The Android version is also fantastic, but the poor keyboard.)

    Mathematica is always enemy/friend. (My coworkers are all Mathematica speakers.)

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Wolfram Mathematica
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Easy for cli user|Lithghter
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Good for advanced users of computers (cli is sometimes hard for newbie)|Hard to find official references, tutors, etc

7 Best MATLAB alternatives for Linux
Another alternative to MATLAB is Maxima which is a computer algebra system (CAS) for manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions including differentiation, integration, Laplace transformation, linear algebraic equations, tensors, etc.
Matlab Alternatives
Another alternative of Matlab is Maxima which was inspired by the legendary Algebra system Macsyma. It is a system used for manipulating numerical expressions such as Taylor series, Laplace transformations, Vectors, Tensors, and Matrices. Very accurate results are provided by using exact floating numbers, fractional values, and integers. The Source Forge file manager...
Source: www.educba.com
10 Best MATLAB Alternatives [For Beginners and Professionals]
Maxima is extracted from Macsyma, a computer algebra system developed in the late 1960s by MIT. Maxima is frequently updated to fix bugs for a more optimized coding experience
4 open source alternatives to MATLAB
Check out Maxima, it is a system for the manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions, including differentiation, integration, Taylor series, Laplace transforms, ordinary differential equations, systems of linear equations, polynomials, sets, lists, vectors, matrices and tensors.
Source: opensource.com
3 Open Source Alternatives to MATLAB
Maxima, another frequently updated alternative to MATLAB. It's based on Macsyma, a "legendary computer algebra system" developed at MIT in the 1960s, can be compiled on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, and is available under GPLv2.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Maxima seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 27 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MATLAB mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of MATLAB yet. Tracking of MATLAB recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Maxima mentions (27)

  • Integral Calculator
    I think the really neat piece of software behind this is maxima (https://maxima.sourceforge.io/), a rather influential computer algebra system of ancient lineage still in use today in more place than you might think. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Rye: Homoiconic dynamic programming language with some new ideas
    In the maxima computer algebra system[1] which was ancestrally based on lisp it has a single quote operator[2] which delays evaluation of something and a "double quote" (which acually two single quotes rather than an actual double quote) operator[3] which asks maxima to evaluate some expression immediately rather than leaving it in symbolic form.[4] [1] https://maxima.sourceforge.io/ [2]... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • True or False
    Use wxmaxima, a free and open-source computer algebra system:. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • C++ library for solving EQUATIONS
    There are several options, here is one of them: https://maxima.sourceforge.io. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Do you know computer algebra software capable of managing systems of multiple equations with multiple unknowns and multiple variables?
    You may use maxima cas (https://maxima.sourceforge.io/) to solve symbolic complex problems. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MATLAB and Maxima, you can also consider the following products

Wolfram Mathematica - Mathematica has characterized the cutting edge in specialized processingโ€”and gave the chief calculation environment to a large number of pioneers, instructors, understudies, and others around the globe.

GNU Octave - GNU Octave is a programming language for scientific computing.

Scilab - Scilab Official Website. Enter your search in the box aboveAbout ScilabScilab is free and open source software for numerical . Thanks for downloading Scilab!

Sage Math - Sage is a free open-source mathematics software system licensed under the GPL.

AnyLogic - AnyLogic has changed simulation modeling and expanded its application into complex business environments. The unmatched flexibility of multimethod modeling allows users to capture the complexity of virtually any system, at any level of detail.

Maple - Considered the leading mathematical software, Maple intertwines the worldโ€™s most advanced math engine with a user-friendly interface.